The hypersonic label can describe weapons that exceed the threshold during only part of their flight. Under that broad definition, precedents reach back toward the Second World War. Speed alone does not determine the interception problem. A weapon crossing a defender's firing line requires prediction of its future position, while one approaching the defended ship offers a more direct intercept calculation. The incoming weapon still demands early detection, with detection range extending beyond the interceptor's firing range.
Notable Point · 1:21-2:59
Why hypersonic interception geometry matters
An incoming hypersonic weapon presents a different interception problem from a target crossing an air-defense system's field of fire.